Our Festive Singing

It was a disappointment for everyone involved when stormy weather forced the Weald and Downland Living Museum to cancel it's Advent Market this year.  Such a shame for the Museum, the stall holders and all of us due to perform there - but safety and practicality must come first.  Better luck next year we hope!

So now we look forward to the festive spirit carrying over to our Sing at the National Trust's Petworth House next, Saturday November 30th as their programme of special Christmas open days begins.  We'll be singing there in the courtyard beside the house at 12.00 noon and again at 2.00pm.

We look forward to seeing you there to enjoy the day, the craft market in the Battery House on site, and the beautiful Christmas decorations in the House.

Our SDFS local group sessions will happen as usual in December, with extra festive cheer and a variety of seasonal songs on the menu.  We welcome new singers to the fold - so email us if you'd like to attend for at least a 'taster' session.   Thereafter we will be out and about again in the new year, Wassailing in Worthing on January 5th and Stanmer on January 12th.  

(Please check our Diary Dates page on this Blog for more details of our 2025 sessions and events.)

Meanwhile, may we join the early birds in sending Season's Greetings - to our singers, listeners and Blog readers alike - wishing us all a happy and peaceful time! 

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday November 21st 2024

14 singers, joined the evening for the October Chi SDFS meet up, following a very nice Indian meal  prior to the event - an early Christmas celebration!  Well done to Lynn for organising.

 

So in festive mood, the evening began with a cheerful rendition of "Holly and the Ivy" plus some debate as to whether to start with the word “Oh”.  "The Angel Gabriel" followed and then "The Sugar Wassail" which as Alan explained would be familiar to all as it is sung to the tune of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.  A rousing rendition of "Hark The Herald Angels" followed and then on to a new addition to SDFS repertoire, introduced previously by Amaryllis at the Worthing Carol sessions.  Alan led the group through "The Friendly Beasts" which all agreed was best sung in a jazzy fashion and with careful watching of the conductor to keep in time with each other.  The song was tried through several times – possibly the favourite version being a Disney style production including the animal sounds.  Some effort may be required now not to do this whilst performing out!  "While Shepherds Watched (Pentonville)" returned the group to a more sensible mood, being sung particularly well possibly as there were an equal number of men and women present.  Another relatively new edition to the set list "The Field Mouse Carol" was tried next with Alan explaining how an easy harmony could be achieved in the repeating lines.  To round off the first half, all verses of "The Falmer Carol" brought everyone to a well-earned break.

 

The second half of the session began with another fairly new addition to the set – "Now Christmas is Come".  There was some discussion about whether or not it should be sung with syncopation but all agreed that singing with gusto enhanced it greatly.  Alan introduced and led "The Ditchling Carol" for those that had not heard it and a couple of verses were tried, probably for a 2025 launch.  Reverting to more well-known material, "Fields Lie Silent" and "The Woodcutter" followed with Alan agreeing to work actively to keep everyone up to the pace.  Although not part of the “Christmas Set”, the group had another go at "Rambling Comber" with Alan determined to get part of the group singing base harmony.  The final three songs of the evening and which were requested by the group – "Ideo", "The Boars Head" and "Gaudete" – were all sung with enthusiasm and rounded off a busy and enjoyable evening in Chichester.

 

 

Another Christmas Season Event

On our "Miscellaneous" page you'll find details of a "Shepherds Arise" event in Sompting on December 15th - take a look!

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday November 7th 2024

The autumn moving into winter, and looking ahead to festive events in November and December, shaped this month's song choices at the Barn.  24 singers gathered and we opened the evening with the "Wood Cutters Song" followed by "Poor Froze Gardeners".  "Sugar Wassail" warmed things up for more festive songs. Emily reminded us of its rousing pace and she rehearsed with us the one or two lines that should flow together without any pause.  "Now Christmas Is Come" was next on the list - a song collected by Lucy Broadwood, and first tried by us this time last year.  It needed little effort to revive and sing it well at a fairly brisk pace.  A much older song "The Boar's Head Carol" made a stately entrance with its heraldic tones and latin choruses; some high and low harmonies were introduced but will need more work. 

Amaryllis proposed the gentle carol, "Silent Night", which was sung and liked by many, although known not to be a South Downs song in its origins.  Recollections from Angela B confirmed it to be an Austrian song and she shared childhood memories of her Austrian family's festive traditions on Christmas Eve, conjured whenever she hears the song.   Then before the break Amaryllis led us through the new song she has recently introduced: "Friendly Beasts", using a tune she has written and words from an ancient carol.  Attempts amongst us to be a donkey, a sheep, a cow or a dove to open the verses, was a little problematic but the calypso mood carried us along nonetheless!  

In the break, wristbands for the singers due to sing at the Weald and Downland Museum's Advent Market (and reminders about the park and ride bus times) were distributed, and the session contributions were collected as usual, amongst the many sociable conversations.  A little belatedly we resumed singing - with Alan suggesting we try again another song we'd started last Christmas - "When It's Christmas Time".  After that "Ideo" was a popular choice.  But "The Ditchling Carol" was less easily managed and although the chorus was reasonably well achieved, the melody faltered on the verses.  So it was agreed to leave this until the next Extra Seasonal Songs session planned for November 14th when there would be more time to try it again.   It was generally agreed this old Sussex song will need more work to do it justice, and it may not be ready for public performance this year.  By contrast "The Field Mouse Carol" moved us on - and after some repetition to secure the melody and pace it made for an enjoyable and cheery sing.

We returned to some old favourites to close the session: "Sweet Chiming Bells" and "Pentonville".  Both are versions of  'While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night' - and they still do, across the South Downs landscape all year - not just for Christmas!

H.

Take Another Look .....

 There's a new post on our Miscellaneous Page  - about "Sussex Traditions" - have a look and see!

Our Singing at Brighton Unitarian Church - on Friday 8 November - 12.30pm

(From the event organiser's notice posted on the Brighton Unitarian Church's Facebook Page)

This Friday (8 November) we are delighted to welcome the South Downs Folk Singers to the church for our regular fundraising lunchtime concert. 

Doors open at 12 noon with tea/coffee and biscuits served in the church hall on a pay-as-you-feel donation basis. The concert is 12.30-1.15pm - suggested donation £5 on the door - cash or card. Your donations help us to keep the doors open and the lights (and heating!) on in our beautiful Grade II listed building.

The SDFS grew out of a South Downs Society project to promote the heritage and culture of the South Downs, both old and new. Since 2013 around 50 members have met monthly in Chichester, Lewes and Worthing and the groups come together to sing at festivals and other events across the area. 

The SDFS is not a formal choir but a joyful group who sing traditional South Downs songs unaccompanied, as they may very well have been sung in homes, places of work and recreation in the past. Audience participation is welcome so please join in if you wish, particularly in the choruses!

New singers are always welcome at SDFS – contact southdownsfolksingers21@gmail.com or see the SDFS website https://southdownsfolksingers21.blogspot.com/ for more information.

As Seasons Turn ......

After singing at a variety of lovely events during the summer and into autumn (most recently at the Harvest Supper in Yapton and then at the Weald and Downland Living Museum's  "Hedgerows and Harvest" weekend) we now look forward to the shorter and colder days of winter - and to the new opportunities these bring to sing, enjoy and share our seasonal and festive songs.

Very soon, on Friday November 8th some of our singers, led by our Lewes group lead Tina, will be performing at a lunchtime 'concert' in the Brighton Unitarian Church starting at 12.30pm  (Doors open at 12.00 noon.)

Then on Sunday November 24th , with Amaryllis from our Worthing group directing, we will be singing two sets (12.00 and 2.00pm) at the Weald and Downland Living Museum again, this time at their Advent Market. 

Just a week later on Saturday November 30th, Alan from our Chichester group will be leading us in the courtyard at Petworth House during their first weekend of pre-Christmas open days and festivities.  We will be singing two sets there too, again at 12.00 and 2.00pm.  

(Please check the National Trust and the W.&.D.L.M.'s own websites for full details of entry times and other arrangements for these events).   

Plans for taking our songs out and about in 2025 are already underway - and first on our new  calendar is the Wassail Celebration at "The Vine" pub in Tarring Village in Worthing, where we will again be supporting the Sompting Morris with our wassailing songs on Sunday January 5th.  Their torchlight procession down Tarring High Street will start at 8.00pm - and we'll be greeting them and their followers with our singing in the pub garden as they return for the wassail ceremony there.    

Not forgetting of course, throughout the year - our three local group sessions continue each month - in Lewes, Chichester and Worthing.  Please find full details of these on other pages of this Blog (the "Diary Dates" page, the "Welcome" and "New Singers" pages) - and for a taste of what happens at our local sessions, take a look at the Local Group Reports on our "Latest News" page.  

Plenty of reading to do - and plenty of songs to be sung!      If you'd like to join us - or to invite us to sing for you at an event - just get in touch : southdownsfolksingers21@gmail.com